


Survival

by fandomgurl77



Series: Post-Movie Universe [1]
Category: The Greatest Showman (2017)
Genre: Childbirth, Death, First Time, Multi, Natural Disaster, Phillip Needs a Hug, Pregnancy, Rebuilding, Survival Situation, earthquake, sexual suggestion
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-26
Updated: 2020-04-25
Packaged: 2021-03-02 10:35:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 16
Words: 8,783
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23849803
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fandomgurl77/pseuds/fandomgurl77
Summary: A year after the events of the movie, a major earthquake strikes New York City, killing hundreds - how will P.T Barnum and his circus struggle to survive in a broken city?
Relationships: Phillip Carlyle/Anne Wheeler
Series: Post-Movie Universe [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1718617
Kudos: 7





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This story was inspired by the earthquakes in New Zealand throughout the 2010's - especially the February 22nd, 2011 quake and the Kaikoura quake in either November 2016 or 2017 - and my personal experience. 
> 
> Trigger Warning: This chapter has a mild mention of animal abuse/abusive practices (it isn't too bad though, just Phillip mentioning using a bull-hook on Jumbo.)

_That day was supposed to be like any other, despite the fact that the Barnums had gone on holiday to England for the majority of the year. However, Mother Nature had different plans…_

‘Ok’, Phillip said, ‘We’re on our own for the next ten months.’

‘Yes’, Lettie said, ‘Today was a long day; I’m completely worn out.’

‘Speaking of that, Phillip said when he looked at his watch, ‘It’s time to close up and go to bed.’

Suddenly, the ground started moving gently, before becoming gradually more intense and louder over the next few seconds as things began falling over.

‘Wh..what the heck is h…happening?’ Lettie asked nervously as she was knocked over by the movement.

‘It’s an earthquake!’ Phillip replied as he lay down on the ground as the trapeze rigging, hoops and bars began to dislodge from the ceiling and crash to the floor, ‘Get down!’

In other parts of the city, people were running out of crumbling buildings into the streets, many of whom were in their pyjamas and bare feet. Others who weren’t so fortunate were crushed by falling debris in their beds or as they tried to escape. Suddenly, one of the elevated train lines collapsed, sending a locomotive and five carriages plummeting into the street below.

It was all over in two minutes, but many of the buildings in the city had either been flattened or were too unsafe to re-enter.

‘Is everyone alright?’ Phillip asked when he stood up and dusted himself off.

‘Yes’, everyone replied as they stood up.

‘Better go and check on the animals, Phillip’, Anne said, ‘They’d be utterly stressed out and panicked.’

‘Ok’, Phillip said as he walked over to the hall door, which had become jammed in its frame.

‘The door is jammed shut!’ he said as he desperately tried to open it, firstly by turning the knob, and then by kicking it.

After a few seconds of no success, he heard Jumbo and the other elephants trumpeting in distress.

‘Don’t worry, guys!’ he said as he desperately started whacking the door with the black and gold baton, ‘Help is on the way!’

‘Maybe this will help’, Anne said as she walked over and belted the door with one of the metal trapeze bars, shattering the top hinge.

‘Keep going, baby’, Phillip said, ‘The door is almost free.’

‘I think one good kick to the bottom should do the trick’, Anne said before Phillip booted it with all of his strength, causing the hinge to sever and the door to move a few centimetres up the hall before crashing to the floor.

‘Right’, Phillip said before they ran up the hall, which had splinters of wood and shattered glass throughout, ‘Let’s go!’

When they were at the opposite end of the hall, Anne only had to lightly touch the door to make it fall out.

‘Oh my…’ Phillip said when he saw that some of the larger elephants had ripped free of their chains and were running amok while the lions and other animals were pacing back and forth wildly in their cages, ‘We’re going to need a lot of help here.’

‘I’ll go and get the trainers’, Anne said before she ran back down the hall.

Suddenly, Jumbo picked Phillip up with his trunk and started swinging him around wildly.

‘Jumbo!!’ Phillip shouted, ‘Put me down this instant!’

Five agonising and terrifying minutes later, Jumbo put Phillip down and cornered him inside the Animal Training Area,

‘Don’t make me use this!’ Phillip said when he grabbed a bull-hook from behind him, causing Jumbo to trumpet and cower in fear at the sight of it.

‘That’s it’, he said as he slowly made his way out with Jumbo following him, ‘Let’s go back to the others, okay?’


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Phillip's life is turned upside-down when he finds out his parents have been killed; P.T Barnum returns home to the ruins of New York City.

Meanwhile, the other animals had been calmed down by their trainers and everything was back to normal just as Phillip and Jumbo walked in.

‘Good’, Jumbo’s trainer said as he took the bull-hook, ‘You found Jumbo.’

‘Yes’, Phillip said, ‘He took me to the Training Area and cornered me; if it hadn’t been for that bull-hook, I fear the worst may have happened.’

‘Thank goodness it didn’t’, the trainer said, ‘We can’t lose the ringmaster now, can we?’ ‘No, of course not’, Phillip said, ‘It would’ve been a tragic night for everyone, especially Anne.’

‘Yes’, the trainer said, ‘I believe the earthquake tonight has become a tragedy of national, perhaps even international, significance.’ 

At 9:00 the next morning, Phillip and the rest of the troupe were walking down the debris filled road, taking in the damage that the earthquake had caused, before seeing the train that had fallen into the adjacent street when the overhead tracks had collapsed.

‘Better go and see if there is anyone who needs help’, Phillip said before he ran over to the stricken train, where dazed passengers and medical personnel with stretchers were moving to and fro.

Amongst the chaos, he somehow recognised a woman lying on a stretcher beside one of the carriages.

‘Mother!’ he said as he ran over, ‘No, it can’t be…’

‘Son’, Lindsay Carlyle said weakly, ‘Your father…’

‘What?’ Phillip asked, ‘Where is he?’ ‘He…he was at home and…’ Lindsay began before she closed her eyes and fell silent.

‘No’, Phillip said with a slight quiver in his voice, ‘Please, I need to know where he is.’

‘I’m sorry’, the doctor beside the stretcher said, ‘She’s gone.’

‘But what about my father?’ Phillip said on the verge of tears, ‘He needs to know what has just happened, and fast!’

‘Um…’ the doctor said as he stood up, ‘If I’m not mistaken, he was at home when the earthquake occurred last night, right?’

‘Yes’, Phillip said, ‘Why?’

‘Well then’, the doctor said with disbelief and sadness, ‘I’m afraid that the house is no more, Mr. Carlyle.’

Phillip ran around the corner and to the end of the road where a familiar brick fence had fallen across the side of the road. However, this was only a taste of the horror that awaited him.

‘AAAHHH!’ he screamed when he saw that the three-storey villa-style house had been reduced to a giant pile of bricks and roof tiles, ‘This can’t be happening!’ Things got even worse when he saw a hand sticking out from under the rubble.

‘Father!’ he said as he began crying, ‘No!’

Later that day, Lettie asked Anne to give something to Phillip. ‘Anne’, she said when she gave her an envelope, ‘P.T sent this telegram today for Phillip. Could you please give it to him?’ ‘Sure’, Anne said.

‘Thanks’, Lettie said, ‘It’s just that he hasn’t come down from the room since we came back.’

‘He’s lost his parents, Lettie’, Anne said before she walked up the hazard-filled hall, ‘What do you expect?’

Ten seconds later…

‘Phillip?’ Anne said as she opened the door, ‘I’ve got a letter for you.’

‘Go away’, Phillip said, ‘I’m not in the mood.’

‘Listen’, Anne said, ‘I know what it is like to lose your parents; remember when I told you that my and W.D’s were murdered in South Carolina in 1847 before we came here?’

‘I suppose’, Phillip said disappointedly as he wiped his eyes with a washcloth. ‘Anyway, P.T sent you this telegram’, Anne said. ‘Thanks’, Phillip said before he opened and read the message.

At 12:00 the next day, P.T met with the troupe in the main part of the tent.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warning: The two circus lions, Leo and Simba, are put down at the end of this chapter to prevent them from starving to death. The relevant section is marked with three capital bold "X" symbols before it.

‘Glad to see everyone’s alive and well’, P.T said, ‘I came back as soon as I heard about the earthquake.’

‘What about Charity and the girls?’ Anne asked.

‘They’re still in England on holiday’, P.T replied, ‘Caroline and Helen don’t need to see or hear about what’s happened at this stage.’

‘Speaking of that’, Phillip said, ‘How are we going to survive through this catastrophe? Having been bought up in luxury I have no survival skills.’

‘Don’t worry’, P.T said, ‘I lived on the street for a brief time at age 13 after my father passed away, not to mention we lived at the bottom of the social ladder, so I have quite a few things to teach you, Phillip, Morse Code being one of them.’

‘Yes’, Lettie said, ‘I’m already skilled at making soap and washing sheets and clothes from my previous job, so I could help with that.’

‘I and W.D are good at gathering food, so that issue is sorted’, Anne said.

‘But what about the animals?’ Phillip asked.

‘The elephants and other herbivores will be okay with us’, P.T replied, ‘However, the lions will present a danger once they’re set free.’

‘What do you mean by that?’ Phillip asked.

‘I’m afraid there’s only one solution, Phillip…’ P.T said when he picked a loaded shotgun up off one of the benches.

‘You mean you’ll…’ Phillip said with tears in his eyes, ‘No, you can’t do that!’

‘As hard as it may be, it’s simply too dangerous to have them roaming around’, P.T said, ‘Besides, it wouldn’t be fair to leave them in cages without food and water now, would it?’

‘I suppose you’re right’, Phillip said disappointedly, ‘I just wish there was a better way.’ ‘Speaking of that’, Anne said, ‘Can we go with Lettie to say goodbye to them quickly?’

‘Sure’, P.T said.

‘Thanks’, Anne said before she, Phillip and Lettie walked up the hall and outside.

‘Leo and Simba’, Anne said sadly as they walked up to the two lions in their cages, ‘We’re afraid you can’t stay with us.’ ‘Yes’, Lettie sobbed as she stroked Simba’s mane while Phillip stroked Leo, ‘Goodbye, friends.’

**XXX**

‘Ok’, P.T said as he walked up to the cages, ‘It is time.’

‘Ok’, Anne, Lettie and Phillip said sadly as they slowly walked back down the hall.

**Two minutes later…**

‘I know it’s hard’, W.D said to Anne when she began crying, ‘But this is how life is sometimes.’

‘I suppose you’re right’, Anne sobbed, ‘But it’s just not fair!’ ‘I know’, W.D said, ‘However, P.T would never allow any animal to go through unnecessary suffering.’

‘Yes’, Anne sobbed, ‘At least that’s a…’

Suddenly, the air rang with three loud bangs, causing Lettie and Phillip to start crying.

‘It’s all over’, P.T said disappointedly when he walked back into the main part of the tent, only to see Anne, Lettie and Phillip crying, ‘Don’t worry, I made sure they weren’t in any pain afterwards.’

‘See?’ W.D said, ‘I told you.’

‘I guess’, Anne sobbed.

‘It was hard enough for me’, P.T said while holding back tears, ‘But…it was ultimately the right thing to do.’


	4. Chapter 4

Three days later, Anne mysteriously woke up in the bar, which was the only building on its street that was still standing, albeit with all the windows shattered.

‘Where am I?’ she said as she tried to stand up, only to be pushed back down. ‘Shut up, twerp!’ a shady looking man with a grey beard said, ‘I’ve got you right where I want you!’

‘Who are you and what’s going on?’ Anne asked.

‘That’s none of your business, stupid girl!’ the man replied as he slapped her across the face, ‘Just do as I say, okay?’

‘Sure’, Anne said nervously.

Meanwhile, Phillip just happened to be walking past the bar when he heard a familiar scream.

‘Anne’, he thought as he burst through the door of the bar, only to see a bearded man standing amongst a mess of broken bottles and puddles of alcohol holding Anne with a gun to her head.

‘Phillip Carlyle!’ the man shouted, ‘Don’t move or the girl gets it!’

It was then that Phillip realised who this man was; Dan Wilkinson, wanted dead or alive for a string of murders stretching across the country from Los Angeles to New York.

‘Listen, Dan!’ he said as he secretly picked up a bottle of whiskey off the table behind him, ‘You may have killed my uncle, but you won’t be doing anything to my girl!’

He threw the bottle at Dan in anger, which hit the wall behind him and exploded, covering him and Anne with whiskey.

‘Bring it on mate!’ Dan shouted as he dropped the gun and began chasing Phillip through the maze of overturned tables and chairs while Anne ran back to the tent.

‘Anne!’ W.D said when she ran in through the entrance, ‘Why are you covered in whiskey?’

‘I had a gun put to my head by a man at the bar’, Anne said, ‘Next thing you know, Phillip burst in through the door and words were exchanged before he threw a bottle of whiskey at him, which smashed and covered us both with its contents. I managed to escape when the man was chasing Phillip around the bar and ran back here.’

‘Right!’ W.D said, ‘Let’s go to the bar!’

Meanwhile, Phillip had managed to hit Dan over the head with a chair leg when W.D and Anne burst in.

‘Is everything alright?’ W.D asked.

‘Well, this man, Dan Wilkinson, attempted to punch me a few times before I hit him over the head with a chair leg, causing him to collapse’, Phillip replied.

‘Could it be…the real Dan Wilkinson?’ W.D asked.

‘Yes, it is, twits!’ Dan shouted when he stood up and walked over to Phillip before noticing W.D, ‘I see you’ve bought your friend along this time.’ ‘You’re nothing but a murderous flopdoodle!’ W.D shouted, ‘To make things worse, you threatened to kill my sister!’

‘Well, had this fool not come along, I would have!’ Dan shouted, ‘But since you and your sister are here, I might as well kill you both!’

‘Oh yeah?’ W.D said, ‘Just try it.’

‘Whatever suits you, sp…’ Dan began before W.D punched him in the face, causing him to stumble back and trip over a table.

‘Let’s go’, W.D said before he, Phillip and Anne began running back towards the tent, albeit with Dan chasing them.

‘P.T!’ Phillip said as they ran through the entrance, ‘You’ll never believe this, but the murderer known as Dan Wilkinson has chased us here from the bar.’

‘Right!’ P.T said as he walked towards the entrance, ‘Where is this monster?’

‘I’m right here, flopdoodles!’ Dan shouted when he ran up to P.T.

‘Get out of my way, street urchin!’ he screamed, ‘I can’t stand the look of your ugly face!’

‘What a thing to say to a fellow human being!’ P.T said, ‘And no, I won’t be letting you in, murderous coward!’

‘Go back to the cesspool where you belong, conman!’ Dan shouted as he pushed P.T out of the way before making a beeline for the shotgun on the bench.

‘Oh no, you don’t’, P.T said as he ran up to him and punched him in the stomach, causing him to keel over in pain.

‘What was that for, tailor-boy?’ Dan asked.

‘You were planning to kill us with the loaded shotgun there!’ P.T replied, ‘Do you think I’d allow that to happen?’

Probably not’, Dan said, ‘However, I believe you’re tricking me into thinking that the damn thing is loaded, being the con-artist you are!’

‘Well, you thought wrong!’ P.T said just as two policemen walked in and took Dan away.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Phillip has a flashback to his childhood and tells Anne why he was terrified of his parents at home. The flashback is in italics, while the rest of the chapter is in normal text.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warning: This chapter contains mild depictions of child abuse.

At 3:00 that afternoon, Phillip told Anne something that no-one else knew about.

‘Thanks for coming, Anne’, he said as he closed his door, ‘What I’m about to tell you has never been revealed to anyone else.’

‘Ok’, Anne said, ‘Tell me.’

‘You see, my parents were living a lie every time we were out in public or at parties’, Phillip said, ‘They portrayed themselves as kind and generous outside the house, but behind the front door it was the complete opposite; I was terrified of them.’

‘Why?’ Anne asked, ‘What made you fear them?’

‘It started when I was six years old, when my parents found out that I had a wild imagination; they weren’t very happy at all and would beat me whenever they caught me writing about or drawing pictures of anything that was, in their words “not real”; these works were usually destroyed in front of me by being burned, ripped up or tossed into the pond behind the house. However, I devised numerous ways to hide what I was doing over the years…’

_‘There’, Phillip thought as he put the pen back into its holder on the desk and picked up his latest picture, ‘All finished!’ ‘Phillip!’ his mother, Lindsay shouted as she finished walking up the stairs and down the hall._

_In response, Phillip opened the drawer under the bed, put picture in and closed it just before she opened the door._

_‘Come on, son’, Lindsay said, ‘We’re going to the park for a picnic.’ ‘Oh’, Phillip said, ‘Ok.’_

**Forty-five minutes later…**

_‘That was delicious, didn’t you think, son?’ Lindsay asked._

_However, there was no response to the question._

_‘PHILLIP!’ Kurt shouted across the mat, causing Phillip to jump, ‘Answer us when we speak to you!’_

_‘Oh yes’, Phillip said, ‘It was good, thank you.’_

_‘Well then’, Kurt said, ‘It’s about time we headed back home.’_

_‘Yes’, Phillip and Lindsay said as they rolled the mat up._

_‘New York sure is different from Gloucestershire, isn’t it?’ Kurt said as he unlocked the front door._

_‘Yes’, Lindsay and Phillip said, ‘There aren’t as many people around on Sunday afternoon.’_

‘However’, Phillip said, ‘The worst day in my childhood was 20th June 1849, a few days before my 9th birthday, when my mother found what I had been hiding from her...’

_‘Phillip!’ Lindsay yelled from his bedroom, ‘We want to have a word with you about something!’ ‘Coming!’ Phillip shouted as he raced up the stairs and through the doorway, ‘What is it, Mother?’_

_‘What do you call these?’ Lindsay asked in a harsh tone._

_‘Um…those are drawings, Mother’, Phillip replied._

_‘You’re so stupid, aren’t you?’ Lindsay said when she rolled her eyes, ‘They’re imaginative pictures!’_

_‘No, please, Mother’, Phillip said in defense as she handed the drawings to Kurt and stormed towards him, ‘I’ll get rid of them tomorrow, I promise.’_

_‘Of course you will, worthless brat!’ she said as she slapped him across the face three times, ‘But alas, you are too lazy to do anything about it, aren’t you!?’_

_In retaliation to being slapped, Phillip bit Lindsay’s hand, for which Kurt held him back against the wall._

_‘Don’t you **ever** bite your mother’s hand again!’ he shouted before he threw him to the floor, while Lindsay took a long belt out of the back of the closet._

_‘This will teach you to never bring fiction into the house ever again!’ she shouted as she began to beat Phillip with the belt, causing him to scream in pain and begin crying._

**Two agonising minutes later…**

_‘Right!’ Kurt said as he picked up the stack of drawings off the bed, ‘We’re going to dispose of this trash, and you’re to stay up here and think about what you’ve done!’_

_‘Yes, Father’, Phillip sobbed before the door slammed._

‘The constant abuse and unreasonable restrictions were the reason why my plays, when I started to write them, were utter failures with audiences and rated the worst in the country’, Phillip said, ‘I’m positive that I wouldn’t be alive now if I hadn’t been convinced to come here that night in the bar.’

‘Oh Phillip’, Anne said as she hugged him, ‘You only needed someone to love you all these years.’

‘Speaking of that, I’ve got an idea’, Phillip said. ‘What is it?’ Anne asked. ‘Since we’re alone in here, and dinner won’t be for another few hours, why don’t we…’

‘Come on, Phillip’, Anne said as she took her clothes off, ‘Let’s do it.’

‘Right behind you’, Phillip said before he did the same.

‘Wow, you look amazing!’ Phillip said. ‘And you don’t look that bad yourself’, Anne said before she pulled him on top of her on the bed, ‘Get ready to experience life as you’ve never experienced it.’


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The troupe has their first taste of cooked insects for dinner; Anne finds out she's pregnant.

At 7:15, W.D and P.T returned with baskets of berries, edible weeds, and insects for dinner.

‘Where’s Phillip and Anne?’ P.T asked, ‘It’s time for dinner.’

‘I’ll go up and tell them’, Lettie replied.

Meanwhile, Phillip and Anne had just finished up when there was a knock on the door.

‘Dinners up’, Lettie said when she opened the door.

‘Ok’, Phillip said before he and Anne got dressed and walked into where everyone was gathered.

‘Well, well’, P.T said, ‘It looks as if you two have had a wonderful afternoon.’

‘Tell me about it’, a red-faced and exhausted Phillip said when he leaned back against the wall, ‘That was the best experience I’ve ever had!’

‘I bet it was’, Lettie chuckled, ‘They say that the first time is the most amazing feeling.’

‘Lettie, I don’t think that we need to know about what was more likely than not going on up there’, P.T said, ‘Besides, it’s time to eat.’

**Two weeks later...**

‘Phillip’, Anne said, ‘I don’t feel very well.’

‘What’s wrong, Anne?’ Phillip asked.

‘It started with a weird dream I had last Tuesday night, Anne replied, ‘I was walking in a meadow when all these bright blue flowers bloomed suddenly, after which I vomited into the bedpan. I’ve been experiencing stomach cramps ever since.’

‘I see’, P.T said when he walked into the room, ‘Charity has experienced this twice before, when we were expecting Caroline and then Helen two years later.’

‘Wait a minute!’ Anne said when she realised this, ‘Does this mean I’m…’

‘Well, I’m no medical expert, but going by your symptoms and that dream you described, it seems highly likely that you’re pregnant, Anne’, P.T said.

‘What??’ Phillip asked in shock before he fainted onto the bed.

‘Wake up, Phillip’, P.T said a few seconds later.

‘Uh’, Phillip said as he stood up, ‘What happened?’

‘You fainted after hearing that it’s highly likely that Anne is pregnant’, P.T said.

‘You’ve got to be kidding me!’ Phillip said, ‘Is this really happening??’

‘Well, even though I’m pretty certain, it will have to be confirmed by a doctor’, P.T said.

**At 10:00 the next morning…**

‘So, Anne’, Phillip said as she walked into the room, ‘What did the doctor have to say?’

‘They confirmed it!’ Anne said excitedly, ‘I’m pregnant!’

‘No way!’ Phillip said, ‘How many are there?’

‘One’, Anne said.

‘Oh my…’ Phillip said, ‘We’ll have to go and tell everyone the marvellous news!’

‘Um…about that’, Anne said, ‘I would prefer to keep it secret until it becomes obvious.’


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warning: A praying mantis is caught along with other insects to be killed and roasted over a fire for food. The relevant sections are between two lots of three capital bold "X" symbols.

‘Good afternoon, everyone’, P.T said as he carried an oddly-shaped case in through the entrance, ‘I’ve just been to check on the house.’

‘How is it?’ Anne asked.

‘It will need to be rebuilt from scratch’, P.T replied, ‘However, I found my old typewriter amongst the rubble, so we can write messages to send across the country or overseas.’

‘But can’t we use Morse Code for that?’ Phillip asked.

‘Yes, but much of the telegraph system has been destroyed during either the main earthquake or aftershocks’, P.T replied, ‘Besides, most people don’t know Morse Code anyway, being mostly restricted to those in emergency services, train drivers and boat captains.’

‘I see’, Phillip said, ‘At least we’ll be able to communicate, even if it’s a bit slower than usual.’

‘Anyway, it’s about time for Phillip and me to go and gather stuff for dinner’, Anne said.

‘Ok’, P.T said as they both walked through the flap, ‘See you later.’

**Thirty minutes later...**

‘Anne’, Phillip said as they walked past a patch of wild boysenberries, ‘These will be excellent for dessert...if you stop eating them all.’

‘Sorry’, Anne said, ‘It’s just that I’ve started to have this weird craving for boysenberries all of a sudden.’

‘I know what you mean...I think’, Phillip said, ‘My mother told me that she could not help eating apples when she was expecting me. Father had to hide some from her every week so he could enjoy them too.’

‘Hey, look what I’ve found under this leaf!’ Anne said when she turned a big green leaf over.

‘Oh my’, Phillip said, ‘It’s a praying mantis.’

‘I’ll let you in on a little secret that Mum shared with me on the O’Brien farm when I was four’, Anne said.

‘Ok’, Phillip said, ‘What is it?’

**XXX**

‘Before she and W.D came to the farm, she and his father used to harvest these and other similar insects each summer and fall and roast them on sticks over a fire to provide extra protein besides the little other food that was available to them’, Anne said, ‘She taught me how to do the same the week before that horrible night when she passed, including ensuring that they’re dead before being roasted.’

‘Why don’t we bring this one and any others that we find back with us so we can have something different?’ Phillip asked.

‘Ok’, Anne replied as she relocated the insect into the spare basket, ‘We’ll have to keep the cloth over the basket though since the adult males are more likely to fly away than the females.’

‘Right with you’, Phillip said as he covered the basket.

**XXX**

**Five minutes later…**

‘We’re back’, Phillip said as he and Anne walked in with two full baskets, ‘We thought of doing something new tonight.’

‘What is it?’ Lettie asked.

‘You know how we’ve had insects such as caterpillars and beetles with lunch and dinner for the last week, right?’

‘Yes’, Lettie said, ‘Why?’

**XXX**

‘Well’, Anne said, ‘Why not make insect kebabs and cook them over a fire?’

‘Sounds like a great idea!’ P.T said before he walked outside, ‘I’ll go and gather some wood to light.’

‘Uh…what types of insects are they?’ Lettie asked.

‘We thought of having grasshoppers and praying mantids for a change tonight’, Phillip replied.

‘Uh…ok’, Lettie said, ‘I suppose a change wouldn’t hurt anyway.’

**XXX**


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warning: P.T mentions the term "bull-hook" to Jumbo and shouts at him for being disobedient. The sections are surrounded by two lots of three "X" symbols, as in previous chapters.

Two months later, Anne and Phillip told everyone about what the doctor had said a few weeks prior.

‘Everyone’, Phillip said, ‘We’ve got some exciting news.’

‘Like I can’t already guess what the doctor said’, P.T said.

‘So’, Lettie said, ‘What is it?’

‘I’m pregnant’, Anne said excitedly.

After a few seconds of silence, the air was filled with cheering and clapping.

‘Congratulations to you both for this marvellous achievement!’ everyone said.

‘Yes’, Phillip said, ‘The most “marvellous” part was the beginning...for me, anyway.’

‘Seriously’, Lettie said, ‘You can’t get your mind off _that_ since the afternoon nearly three months ago, can you?’

‘I don’t think I want to hear any more about this’, W.D said before he walked up the hall.

‘Speaking of that’, Phillip said, ‘I’ve just remembered that I need to go up to the room to um...clean the furniture.’

‘But, Phillip’, Anne said, ‘The furniture doesn’t need cleaning at all.’

‘Um...yes it does’, Phillip said before he ran up the hall and closed the door, ‘And don’t disturb me!’

‘Uh...ok’, Anne said while blushing.

‘He is not cleaning up there, is he, Anne?’ Lettie chuckled, ‘I also think I know why he was in such a hurry to get up there as well...’

‘Ok Lettie’, P.T said, ‘That’s quite enough of that sort of suggestion.’

‘Come on, P.T’, Lettie said, ‘Apparently, around 90% of people do it sometimes.’

‘Um, well, yes, you’re probably correct’, P.T said as he rolled his eyes, ‘However, we don’t need to talk about it here.’

Suddenly, the ground jolted violently, knocking P.T to the floor and nearly causing Anne to fall forwards.

‘Don’t worry, Anne’, Lettie said when she grabbed her arm just in time, ‘I’ve got you.’

‘Thanks’, Anne said.

‘Is everyone alright?’ P.T asked when he stood up, ‘That was a decent jolt.’

‘Um…’ Charles said, ‘I think you might want to see this…’

‘Ok’, P.T said as he walked over to the flap, only to see Jumbo running down the street in a panic.

‘Oh my...’ he said before he ran after him, ‘JUMBO!!!’

**Five minutes later…**

‘Holy cheese!’ P.T thought as the wheel-base of one of the train carriages that had fallen into the street on the night of the earthquake was hurled at him.

**XXX**

‘Hey!!’ he shouted as the mass of metal flew past him and bounced along the street before coming to a stop in the middle of the intersection behind him, ‘That almost killed me!!’

In response to the anger in his voice, Jumbo continued running down the street.

**XXX**

‘AAAHHH!’ people screamed in terror as Jumbo began throwing fallen branches, fence posts and metal bars around uncontrollably.

‘What’s going on here?’ P.T asked when he appeared from behind a wall of a collapsed building.

‘Please’, a rag-cladded woman with two children begged, ‘Just save us from this monster!’

It was then that a man shouted from beside an apple tree that had fallen over.

‘Get your stupid elephant under control before he kills someone, Mr. Barnum!’ he shouted.

‘Oh’, P.T said as soon as he looked in the man’s direction, ‘It is you…’

‘Yes, bread thief!’ said the man, a baker known as Kenneth Biggs, ‘You stole a stick of bread from my stand in the market all those years ago!’

‘It wasn’t stealing’, P.T said, ‘I had to find something to eat that day!’

Suddenly, Jumbo picked him up and placed him on his back.

‘GET ME DOWN FROM HERE!!’ he shouted, ‘I have a phobia of heights!’

**XXX**

‘JUMBO!!’ P.T shouted as he ran up to the massive elephant, ‘Put Mr. Biggs down this instant!’

However, Jumbo wasn’t listening.

‘What’s going to save Mr. Biggs now?’ the crowd asked as they watched on in horror.

‘Bull-hook’, P.T said, causing Jumbo to stop immediately and start obeying orders, ‘Now, please put Mr. Biggs down on the ground.’

**XXX**

‘Thank you’, Mr. Biggs said when Jumbo wrapped his trunk around him and lowered him to the ground, ‘I knew I and the rest of us could count on you.’

‘No problem’, P.T said before he and Jumbo walked away, ‘Goodbye, everyone!’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Holy cheese" is a reference to a cartoon named Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja; similar expressions are used on the show to show surprise, terror or to replace a certain four-letter word.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Phillip is embarrassed when the troupe finds out what he's really been doing in his bedroom...

Meanwhile, the aftershock had thrown Phillip through his open door and into the hallway, in plain sight of Anne and everyone else.

‘Hm…’ Lettie said, ‘I thought so…’

‘Hello everyone’, Phillip said with a cheesy grin, ‘That was one wild ride, wasn’t it?’

‘Um…Phillip’, Anne said while blushing, ‘You might want to cover yourself.’

‘AAAHHH!’ Phillip shrieked as he looked down and wrapped an old shirt around himself, ‘None of you saw anything, did you?’

‘Uh…I wouldn’t say that _no-one_ saw’, Lettie said, ‘I noticed for a second when I turned to face the hall after you hit the wall; it was accidental of course, in the corner of my eye.’

‘Not to mention I did, as I have countless times before’, Anne said while blushing.

‘I’ll be outside until this conversation is over’, W.D said before he walked through the flap.

‘Well, we all now know what sort of “adventure” you were having in there’, Charles said just as P.T walked in.

‘Phew!’ he said as he sat on one of the benches, ‘I just bought Jumbo back after terrorising a group of survivors around the corner and up the street.’

‘Whatever you do, P.T, don’t look up the hall!’ Lettie warned, which inadvertently caused him to do just that.

‘Why no…oh my goodness, Phillip!’ P.T said.

‘AAAHHH!’ Phillip shrieked in shock at the sound of his voice, ‘Good afternoon, P.T, how’s it going?’

‘Why do you have a dirty shirt wrapped around you?’ P.T asked, ‘It needs to be washed.’

‘Uh…’, Phillip replied as he looked around uncomfortably, ‘I…I’ll go and…put this on the l-laundry pile after I…I get dressed, that’s all.’

‘Are you _sure_ that there isn’t another reason?’ Charles asked.

‘No, there is **absolutely no** other reason!’ a red-faced Phillip replied before he walked back into his room and closed the door.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anne nearly loses the baby by falling from the trapeze hoop; Phillip faints in shock and W.D comes to the rescue just in time...

Later that night, while everyone was sleeping, Anne quietly walked down the hall and into the main room where the trapeze rigging had been put up again over the last few days.

‘Time to test this new layout out’, she thought before she ascended on one of the hoops.

Meanwhile, Phillip was returning to his room when he noticed that Anne’s door was open and she was not in there.

‘AAAHHH!’ he shrieked in a panicked voice, ‘Oh my goodness, where are you!?’

‘What’s wrong, Phillip?’ Lettie asked when her door burst open.

‘Anne’s gone missing!’ Phillip replied while holding back tears, ‘Can you not see or hear how panicked I am?’

‘Calm down, Phillip’, Lettie said, ‘You’ll wake everyone else up otherwise.’

It was then that Phillip saw a trail of hand-prints in the dust on one of the walls of the hallway leading to the main room.

‘I think we should follow these, Lettie’, he said before they both walked down and through the doorway, only to look up and see Anne hanging off one of the trapeze hoops five metres in the air.

‘Anne!’ Phillip said, ‘What are you doing up there at this time of night?’

‘Sorry’, Anne said, ‘I couldn’t resist trying out the new layout, so I came down here and ascended to where I am now.’

‘But what if you fall?’ Phillip said, ‘It could be very…’

Suddenly, Anne started to slip off the hoop.

‘Uh, guys’, she said in a panicked voice, ‘Could one of you please get W.D?’

‘Yes’, Phillip said before he briskly walked up the hall and banged on one of the doors.

‘For crying out loud!’ W.D said when he opened the door, ‘What do you want, Phillip?’

‘Anne’s about to fall from the trapeze!’ Phillip shouted in his face.

‘Ok’, W.D said, ‘I’ll come and bring her down.’

**A few seconds later…**

‘Don’t worry’, Phillip said when he returned from up the hall, ‘W.D is here to bring you down!’

‘Thanks’, Anne said, ‘Because I can’t hold on for much…’

‘Anne!’ Phillip shouted in horror when her hand slipped off the hoop and she began falling, ‘No!!’

A few seconds later, he heard a loud noise and fainted.

‘Thank goodness you were here to save me…or should I say, us’, Anne said as she and W.D descended safely to the ground.

‘No problem, Anne’, W.D said, ‘However, it wasn’t a good idea to be up there in your condition.’

‘Oh, my goodness’, Anne said when she saw Phillip on the ground, ‘What’s happened to him?’

‘He fainted in shock after you fell from the hoop’, Lettie said.

‘It’s ok, Phillip’, Anne said, ‘I’m safe.’

‘Thank goodness for that’, Phillip said as he stood up and hugged her, ’Don’t you ever do that again!’

‘Phillip’s right’, Lettie said, ‘You could have easily ended up losing the baby if you had fallen to the ground.’

‘Yes’, W.D said, ‘But at least you are both safe now.’

‘Anyway’, Phillip said, ‘It’s time to head back to bed.’


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tom Thumb (Charles) is heartbroken when it is discovered that his elephant companion is dead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warning: Tom Thumb's elephant companion, Ernie, is discovered to have been killed and cut open. This is mentioned throughout the chapter, so please skip this chapter if you don't want to read it. (It's not that relevant to the story- I just thought I would include it.)

At 11:00 the next morning, Phillip was walking back to the tent when he noticed something unusual amongst the trees.

‘What is this?’ he thought as he rushed over, only to be greeted with a horrible sight.

‘Oh gosh, Ernie!’ he shouted in horror when he saw the smallest elephant lying dead in the dust before running inside, ‘I have to tell P.T about this!’

‘P.T!’ Phillip said when he burst through the flap, ‘There’s something you should see outside near the trees.’

‘Right’, P.T said before they walked back to where Ernie was.

‘Oh no’, P.T said when he walked up to the carcass, ‘What’s happened here?’

‘I don’t know’, Phillip said, ‘I was returning from a morning walk when I found him lying here, obviously having been dead for a while.’

It was then that P.T discovered that a large chunk of Ernie’s back had been cut out.

‘Hm…’ he said, ‘It looks like someone must have killed Ernie and cut a large portion of his back out.’

‘What do you mean?’ Phillip asked as he walked around to face the other side of the carcass.

‘Oh, my goodness!’ he said in horror upon seeing the wide, bloody cavity, ‘That’s absolutely disgusting!’

‘I can’t believe that a person could kill an animal, cut its back open and leave the rest to rot like this, especially near where people live!’ P.T said.

‘Not to mention Ernie was the elephant that Charles rode on that night when you passed the role of ringmaster to me’, Phillip said.

‘Speaking of that’, P.T said, ‘We better go and tell him about what’s happened, and then move Ernie further away from here and bury him.’

‘I agree’, Phillip said as they walked back inside.

‘Charles’, P.T said, ‘I’m afraid I have some sad news for you.’

‘What is it, P.T?’ Charles asked, ‘You’ve decided to fire me, haven’t you?’

‘No!’ P.T replied, ‘Ernie’s been killed.’

‘What?’ Charles asked in shock and disbelief.

‘Phillip found him lying near the trees beside the tent when he was returning from his walk earlier this morning’, P.T replied, ‘I know how close you were to each other, so I thought that I should tell you about this.’

‘I can’t believe it!’ Charles said with tears in his eyes, ‘Please, just take me to him!’

‘Ok’, P.T said before they walked outside.

‘We’ll come too’, Anne, Lettie and Phillip said as they followed them.

‘ERNIE!!’ Charles shouted in horror when he saw the carcass and ran up to it, ‘Who could have done this to you?’

‘Oh my!’ Lettie shrieked upon seeing the wide, gaping hole in Ernie’s back, ‘This is just terrible!’

‘I know’, P.T said, ‘Some low-life person must have thought it would be funny to do this to us.’

‘Anyway, we’ll have to move him before we are overridden with flies’, Phillip said.

‘Yes’, P.T said, ‘Besides, no-one wants to be greeted with such a hideous sight right outside the door, not to mention it’s um…starting to, well…smell a bit.’

‘I guess you’re right’, Charles said sadly before walking away from the carcass, ‘Goodbye, Ernie, I’ll miss you.’

‘Everyone’s going to miss him’, Lettie said, ‘He was the star elephant of the show.’

Suddenly, Anne began vomiting onto the ground in front of her.

‘Anne!’ Phillip said as he ran over and gave her a small bowl, ‘It’s ok, baby, just let it go.’

‘Thanks, Phillip’, she said a few seconds later. ‘But who’s going to clean this mess up?’

‘Don’t worry about that’, Phillip said, ‘You go back inside, and we’ll take care of it.’

‘Ok, if you say so’, Anne said before she walked back inside.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anne accidentally sees Phillip having just bathed and dressing (behind a screen); her craving for boysenberries is discovered by P.T and Lettie after emptying half of the contents of a jar of jam; there is a significant aftershock, although it doesn't cause any damage.

Later that day, Anne accidentally encountered Phillip standing behind a big Japanese-style paper screen in his room.

‘Oh my...’ Anne said as she looked away, ‘I’m so sorry.’

‘It’s ok’, Phillip said, ‘I’ve just had a shower, thanks to Jumbo.’

‘Well, thank goodness you did, because you definitely needed it after two days’, Anne said, ‘Just before I leave you to get dressed, where did that screen come from? I’ve always wanted to know.’

‘I got this when I was in Norrisville a few years ago’, Phillip said, ‘Do you know it’s the oldest city built this millennium in the country, having been founded in 1209 by a ninja named Nomi Norisu, who has protected the city ever since?’

‘Really?’ Anne said, ‘I never would have guessed that.’

Five minutes later in the main room, Anne found a trio of jars filled with boysenberry jam on one of the benches.

‘I don’t think anyone will mind if I take a bit of this’, she thought as she opened one of the jars and sat down.

Meanwhile, Lettie and P.T were walking down the hall towards the main room.

‘Thank you for showing me how to make that jam’, Lettie said, ‘It will make a great topping for dessert tonight.’

‘No problem’, P.T said, as they walked into the room, only to discover that one of the jars was completely empty and Anne had just opened another one.

‘Oh no’, P.T said, ‘What are you doing, Anne?’

‘Eating this jam that someone had left here for me’, Anne said.

‘That jam was supposed to be for dessert tonight’, Lettie said, ‘P.T showed me how to make it specifically for that.’

‘Sorry’, Anne said, ‘It won’t happen again. Besides, you still have one and a half jars left.’

‘Now, Anne’, P.T said, ‘You’ve got to take control of these cravings.’

‘Yes’, Lettie said, ‘You can’t eat everything you see and leave none for anyone else to enjoy.’

‘I know’, Anne said, ‘I’ll try harder from now on.’

Fifteen minutes later, the ground began to move again, only this time being more intense than the original earthquake.

‘Oh gosh, not again!’ Lettie said as everyone lay down on the ground for the next few seconds.

However, since most buildings in the city had collapsed in the first earthquake, there wasn’t as much damage caused as a result.

‘They just keep occurring, don’t they?’ P.T said as everyone stood up, ‘Besides, that one was bigger than the original one was, I assume.’

‘Yes’, Anne said, ‘I believe that we’ll have to expect these for quite a while yet.’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The paper-screen and the mention of the city of "Norrisville" are references to Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja, which takes place in the fictional city of Norrisville.


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dan Wilkinson returns and seeks revenge by nearly killing Anne.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warning: Dan Wilkinson is shot at the end of the chapter.

At dawn the next morning, Dan Wilkinson, who had managed to escape from jail just a few hours earlier, sneaked in through the entrance of the tent and up the hall where he noticed Anne’s door was slightly open.

‘Time to get my revenge!’ he thought as he quietly slipped through the opening and closed the door, before he took out of his pocket a large butcher’s knife that he had found while walking past the collapsed butchery.

However, before he could do anything, Anne’s eyes sprang open and locked on his face before she began screaming, waking Phillip up in the room beside hers.

‘Anne!’ he thought as he ripped his blanket and sheets off, burst through the door and headed straight for the other room, ‘What could be going on now?’

Meanwhile, Dan had just noticed that Anne was slightly bigger than when they first met over three months ago.

‘Goodness me’, he said, ‘Either you have been eating a lot lately, or you’re pregnant!’

‘I’m the latter’, Anne said nervously, N…now, just please l…leave me a…alone!’

‘Not until after I do this!’ Dan shouted as the knife rapidly approached Anne’s abdomen, before Phillip burst in just in time.

‘Dan Wilkinson!’ he shouted, ‘I thought it would be you!’

‘Oh’, Dan said as he turned around, ‘It is you again, rich boy.’

‘Yes’, Phillip said angrily before he saw the knife, ‘By the look of it, you were planning to stab Anne and our child, weren’t you, bucko!?’

The sound of shouting woke P.T and the rest of the troupe up.

‘What’s going on?’ Lettie asked, ‘And where’s Phillip?’

‘It sounds like he’s in Anne’s room shouting at someone’, P.T replied as he opened the door to the room, only to be pushed out of the doorway by Dan Wilkinson.

‘See you crazy twits later!’ he shouted as he tried to run away, only to get tackled to the floor by P.T.

‘You’re not going anywhere, coward!’ P.T said, wrestling on the floor for a few seconds before being thrown off by Dan and having his left hand cut slightly with the knife.

‘Who’s next!?’ Dan shouted before he remembered, ‘Phillip!’

‘What do you want with him, cretin?’ Lettie asked while blocking the doorway as he approached.

‘Out of my way, furball!’ Dan shouted in her face, ‘It will be a great honour of mine to stab you to death otherwise!’

‘You know what, you’re right’, Lettie said hastily when she saw the knife Dan was holding and moved out into the hall, before being belted over the head with the wooden end of a bull-hook, causing him to collapse.

‘How does that feel, you fiend?’ Phillip said as he lay on the floor of the hall, dazed, ‘You’ve gone too far this time!’

**Half an hour later…**

BANG!

‘What was that?’ P.T said before he rushed into the main room, only to see Dan Wilkinson lying motionless on the floor with a gunshot wound on his forehead, ‘I heard a gun being fired down here.’

‘He’s dead’, Chang and Eng said, ‘The sound was us pulling the trigger on one of the revolvers that Charles uses as part of his act with the horse.’

‘Anyway, P.T’, Lettie said as she walked into the room, ‘How’s your hand?’

‘Oh’, P.T said, ‘It’s stopped bleeding and is bandaged up.’


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anne and Phillip discuss the impending birth of their child.

Later that afternoon, Anne had some news for Phillip.

‘So, what did the doctor have to say?’ he asked.

‘Uh…we’ll talk about it in my room’, Anne replied as they walked into the room and closed the door.

‘Um, Phillip’, she said, ‘You might want to sit down for this.’

It was then that a sinking feeling came over him.

‘No…’ he said, ‘It can’t have happened…’

‘The doctor said that the baby…’ Anne began before Phillip began crying.

‘But…everything was going so well’, he said, ‘Please don’t tell me that it has been lost!’

‘They said they had never heard of an unborn child survive the stress that I had been through’, Anne said.

‘It’s gone, isn’t it?’ Phillip sobbed, expecting to hear the worst, ‘I can’t believe our little one is gone!’

‘You didn’t let me finish’, Anne said, ‘I was going to say…that they were astounded to discover…that it has survived!’

‘What??’ Phillip said, ‘This is beyond amazing!’

‘I know’, Anne said, ‘Besides, we only have six and a half more months to go before the birth.’

‘Not to mention that Charity, Caroline and Helen will be returning home around that time as well to a newly rebuilt city.’

This place will be buzzing with activity on the day of the birth’, Phillip said as he opened the door, ‘Everyone will be run ragged, especially me.’

‘You do know that I’ll be doing most of the work, right?’ Anne asked.

‘Yes’, Phillip replied, ‘But at least I’ll be available to help, like on day one. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need some time alone in here to relax.’

‘Ok’, Anne said as she walked out of the room and closed the door.


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Insects are caught and eaten; Anne finds a dragonfly near a pond behind the tent; the baby bump gets bigger.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warining: Insects are caught and eaten. The section is surrounded by two lots of three "X" symbols, as in previous chapters.

**XXX**

‘Lettie’, Anne said, ‘Why are there strands of paper hanging from the trapeze ropes, hoops and bars?’

‘It was P.T’s idea’, Lettie said, ‘He had them put up to catch flies and other insects that fly in.’

‘Why would he want to do that?’ Anne asked.

‘He’s planning to boil them as part of dinner tonight’, Lettie replied.

‘Um…I don’t know about eating flies’, Anne said.

‘Come on, Anne’, Lettie said, ‘It’s good to try new things. Remember when you and Phillip introduced us to the idea of insect kebabs?’

I suppose you’re right’, Anne said, ‘Besides, I’ve always wanted to know what they taste like anyway, since I’ve watched so many praying mantids eat them.’

‘Anne’, Phillip said at 11:00 the next morning when he found her just outside the entrance, ‘You enjoyed those flies last night, didn’t you?’

‘Yes’, Anne said, ‘They went well together with the odd moth and butterfly that was caught as well.’

‘I liked them too’, Phillip said before he noticed a jar containing an insect with a long body and four clear wings, ‘By the way, what have you got there?’

**XXX**

‘Oh’, Anne said when she picked the jar up, ‘I found this dragonfly near the pond five minutes away from here.

‘Let’s go there then’, Phillip said.

‘Ok’, Anne said as they walked towards the trees.

‘Goodness!’ Phillip said when they arrived at the pond, ‘There are dragonflies everywhere around here!’

‘I know’, Anne said, ‘It must be the time of year when they emerge from the water and transform into adults.’

‘Anyway, it’s time to release the one you caught earlier’, Phillip said.

‘Yes’, Anne said as she unscrewed the lid on the jar.

**XXX**

‘Hey’, Phillip said, ‘I’ve got an idea for lunch.’

‘What’s that?’ Anne asked.

‘We could bring a few jars here later and catch some of these dragonflies.’

‘Ok’, Anne said, ‘I’ll go and get the jars, while you stay here.’

**XXX**

**Five months later...**

‘It’s very close now’, Anne said, ‘It’s been moving around more frequently over the last few months.’

‘Not to mention that you’re a lot bigger than you were’, Phillip said when he placed his hand on her abdomen.


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anne and Phillip's child is finally born; Charity returns home with Caroline and Helen; P.T has a plan for the future of the circus.

One month later, on March 17th, while new buildings were going up around the city and the streets were cleared of debris, the circus was buzzing with activity.

‘Phillip’, P.T said, ‘The doctor and midwife have just turned up and are in Anne’s room.’

‘Thanks, P.T’, Phillip said, ‘But what about my job? What is going to happen?’

‘I’ll take the role of ringmaster until you’re able to return to work’, P.T said.

‘I _still_ can’t believe that I’m going to be an uncle by the end of the day!’ W.D said.

‘Anyway, how’s Anne doing?’ Phillip asked.

‘The doctor said that everything is currently going well’, W.D replied.

‘Good’, Phillip said.

**Six hours later…**

‘Where’s Phillip?’ Lettie asked.

‘I believe he’s outside’, P.T replied, ‘He’s been absolutely beside himself all day.’

‘Thanks’, Lettie said before she walked outside, ‘I’ll just go and get him.’

Meanwhile, Phillip had just completed another lap around the complex when he nearly crashed into Lettie, who was standing in front of the door.

‘Oh, my goodness’, he said, ‘I didn’t see you there.’

‘Have you been walking around out here this whole time?’ Lettie asked.

‘Uh…yes’, Phillip replied, ‘Why?’

‘You’ve been here for over six hours’, Lettie said.

‘Has anything happened since I’ve been out here?’ Phillip asked.

‘Well…’ Lettie began before being interrupted by the faint sound of crying.

‘Do my ears deceive me?’ Phillip asked excitedly.

‘No’, Lettie replied, ‘It happened approximately an hour ago.’

‘Oh my…’ Phillip said before he burst into the main room, only to be greeted by clapping and cheering.

‘Congratulations, Phillip’, P.T said, ‘Welcome to parenthood.’

‘Thanks’, Phillip said as he made a beeline to Anne’s room and opened the door.

‘How’s it going, Anne?’ he asked.

‘Shhh’, the doctor replied, ‘They’re sleeping.’

‘Oh’, Phillip whispered as the doctor and midwife exited the room and closed the door, ‘Sorry about that.’

‘No problem’, the doctor said, ‘Anyway, everything went smoothly and as expected.’

‘Yes’, the midwife said, ‘Anne and your son are doing fine.’

‘Now, since it’s early spring and we’re still experiencing the odd sub-zero night and cold days, both of you have to ensure that he’s kept warm at all times’, the doctor said.

‘Ok’, Phillip said as they walked into the main room, ‘Anyway, I, Anne, and everyone here all want to thank you very much for coming here today to help.’

‘Thank you all too’, the doctor and midwife said, ‘We wish you all the best.’

‘Thank you’, P.T and the rest of the troupe said as they walked outside, ‘Goodbye!’

**Epilogue**

‘So’, Phillip said, ‘How’s the new house?’

‘It’s exactly like the old one’, P.T replied, ‘Speaking of that, Charity, Caroline and Helen retuned home last night.’

‘Have you told them about what happened yesterday?’ Phillip asked.

‘I haven’t had the chance to, since they were too tired after crossing the Atlantic, but I’m sure that they’ll be over the moon at the news, especially Caroline and Helen’, P.T said.

‘Raising a child in the circus is going to be challenging for us all’, Phillip said.

‘It will be at first’, P.T said, ‘But it will become easier as the years go by. Besides, I have plans for this place that will make life a whole lot more exciting…’

**To be Continued…**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please read the sequel called "Adventuring".
> 
> Thanks for reading!


End file.
